Physical protection and biochemical quality of organic matter in mediterranean calcareous forest soils: a density fractionation approach

Physical protection is one of the most important ways for stabilization of organic carbon (OC) in soils, and in order to properly manage soils as a sink for carbon, it is necessary to know how much OC a given soil could protect. To this end, we studied individual horizons taken from 16 soil profiles under Quercus rotundifolia stands, all over calcareous parent materials. Horizons were subjected to a sequential extraction using solutions of sodium polytungstate (NaPT) of increasing density: (i) NaPT d=1.6, using slight hand agitation, to obtain the free light fraction (FL); (ii) NaPT d=1.6 and ultrasonic dispersion, to obtain the Occluded Fraction I (Ocl I); (iii) NaPT d=1.8, to obtain the Occluded Fraction II (Ocl II); and (iv) NaPT d=2.0, to obtain the Occluded Fraction III (Ocl III). The fraction of density >2.0 are taken as dense fraction (DF). The free organic matter was further divided into FL>50 (retained by a 50 micrometer mesh: coarse organic fragments) and FL<50 (non-retained: fine organic fragments). The fractions FL>50 and FL<50 were taken together as free organic matter. The rest of the fractions are taken together as protected organic matter. The obtained fractions were analyzed for total OC, total N, and carbohydrate content. The percentage of non-hydrolyzable OC and N in each fraction was taken as an indicator of OC and N recalcitrance, respectively. For both OC and N, the fractions FL>50 and DF are dominant; the rest of the fractions are of much lower quantitative importance. In H horizons and in most A horizons, most of the OC and N are free, whereas in B horizons both OC and N are mostly protected. Overall, the percentages of free OC and N are very high and are currently amongst the highest ever recorded. Organic matter recalcitrance is lowest in the two most protected fractions (Ocl III and especially DF), and highest in the first occluded fractions (Ocl II and especially Ocl I). The free organic matter (FL>50 fraction) has an intermediate quality: it includes recognizable plant fragments, but the indicators tested (recalcitrance, carbohydrate content, cellulose to total carbohydrates ratio) suggest that it is not always the most fresh and non-decomposed fraction. There are clear maxima for both protected OC and N, which can be approached by curve fitting. By exponential fit, the obtained maxima are 84.1 g of OC and 7.7 g of N kg-1 of mineral particles <20 micrometer. These maxima are much higher than the upper limits obtained by other authors. Differences in the sampling approach are suggested as the reason for such discrepancies.